Recently, Saadia Mosbah, a human rights advocate and leader of an NGO supporting migrant rights in Tunisia, was detained by Tunisian authorities. This event highlights President Kais Saied’s autocratic actions since seizing power in July 2021. The main opposition parties in Tunisia have declared their boycott of the upcoming presidential elections.
In his book “Loved Egyptian Night: The Meaning of the Arab Spring,” Professor Hugh Roberts from Tufts University explores the unique Tunisian revolution following the Arab Spring. Unlike Egypt and Libya, Tunisia successfully established a new government with political representation and the rule of law after Ben Ali’s regime fell in 2011.
Rethinking the Arab Spring, Roberts delves into the aftermath in Egypt, where Morsi’s presidency ended in a military coup. The book critically examines how different countries handled regime change and the challenges they faced in achieving genuine political reform.
Despite setbacks in Tunisia and ongoing conflicts in other Arab nations, Roberts’ analysis sheds light on the complex legacy of the Arab Spring. His work is a vital reflection on the unrealized aspirations of the protesters who ignited the historic movement.